Quadruplet daughters defy odds of 70million to one

A couple trying for a baby for ten years have defied odds of 70million to one to produce quadruplet daughters from a single IVF embryo.

Christine and Justin Clark are celebrating making medical history, after years of hoping in vain for children.

Their daughters are now almost ready to go home for the first time after being born, weighing a total of 4.5kg (10lb), six weeks ago.

Mrs Clark, 36, said: ‘We were hoping for one child but four was unbelievable. To be honest, I didn’t believe it until I saw them for myself.’

The couple, from Brinsworth, Rotherham, were on the verge of giving up their struggle for children before deciding to give IVF a go last year.

Mrs Clark, a nurse, became pregnant three weeks after a single embryo was implanted during IVF treatment.

Proud parents: Christine and Justin Clark (Picture: Ross Parry)

She suffered extreme morning sickness during pregnancy – hyperemesis gravidarum – the same condition experienced by the Duchess of Cambridge. She also needed hospital treatment for breathlessness before giving birth – at 30 weeks – by Caesarean section at Sheffield’s Jessop Hospital.

The girls – named Darcy, Caroline, Elisha and Alexis – are thriving after being looked after at a special care baby unit. Lorry driver Mr Clark, 43, admitted they were not only shocked and delighted but also worried when told they were expecting quads.

Doctors say they are the first set of quadruplets of one sex to be born from the same embryo.

Adel Shaker, medical director at CARE Sheffield, said: ‘I have seen two embryos transferred resulting in triplets and a single embryo resulting in twins but even those pregnancies are very unlikely.’

Further tests will confirm whether the girls are, in fact, quadruplets or two individual babies and a pair of twins, or a set of triplets and a singleton.